Barca lose Adriano to injury

Posted Saturday, September 29, 2012 by Swns.com

Barcelona defender Adriano Correia was left out of Barcelona's squad to visit Sevilla on Saturday, after failing to recover from a muscle injury in time.

Andres Iniesta has returned to training with the group but did not make the list, as the leaders look to make it six wins from six this season.

With defenders Gerard Pique and Carles Puyol still injured, midfielders Javier Mascherano and Alex Song are set to return to the centre of the defence.

"Obviously, the difference between Pique and Puyol playing and two midfielders will always be there," Mascherano told the daily Sport newspaper on Friday. "We will try to make sure they are missed as little as possible."

Valencia suffered a new injury setback when Ricardo Costa damaged a muscle in training and the Portuguese defender was left out of the squad for the home game with Real Zaragoza on Saturday.

Costa joins David Albelda, Ever Banega, Pablo Piatti, Jeremy Mathieu and Sergio Canales on the injury list, though Argentina's Fernando Gago has returned after a neck problem.

New coach Mauricio Pellegrino is under pressure after a poor start to the campaign in which last season's third-placed finishers have slipped to 15th.

"It's true we have been having problems with injuries, but this happens in football," Pellegrino told a news conference. "We have a great opportunity to prove the team is alive and well, and that we have the tools to cope."

Champions Real Madrid, who are seventh, host promoted Deportivo Coruna on Sunday looking to recover from their early-season wobble, though they will have one eye on next weekend's 'clasico' at the Nou Camp.

Kaka's midweek hat-trick against Millonarios in the Santiago Bernabeu Trophy, and his recall to the Brazil squad, have had local media speculating whether Jose Mourinho will give him his first official minutes this season against Depor.

Second-placed Atletico Madrid will monitor the fitness of La Liga leading scorer Radamel Falcao (seven goals) and goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois ahead of their visit to lowly Espanyol on Sunday.

Colombia striker Falcao has been struggling with a thigh strain for the last week and played only the first halves of their wins against Valladolid and Real Betis. Belgium's Courtois missed the Betis game with a knee problem.

Real Mallorca's impressive start to the season has put them third in the standings, four points behind the leaders. They visit Getafe on Monday without defender Javi Marquez who is out for up to three months with a broken left ankle.

Real Sociedad host Athletic Bilbao in the Basque derby on Saturday without first-choice goalkeeper Claudio Bravo, who fractured his arm and had surgery during the week.

The club have not said how long the Chile international will be out of action.